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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Engineering in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)

14 Ranked Colleges
555 Degrees Awarded
$22,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking - to help you make that decision.

General Engineering is the 78th most popular major in the country with 11,925 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, general engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $66,152 and had an average of $20,077 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 1,754 general engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $72,330 and $24,526 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 555 general engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 14 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general engineering. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great general engineering programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the general engineering program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The engineering school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid”.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid.

Top 14 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Engineering in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)

#1

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Michigan State University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. Michigan State University is a public institution located in East Lansing, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 125 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Michigan State also took the #2 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Michigan State is $19,173 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Engineering at Michigan State University

#2

University of Southern Indiana

Evansville, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Southern Indiana. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. USI is a fairly large public school situated in Evansville, Indiana. It awarded 27 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

USI also took the #11 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Southern Indiana is $13,437 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Engineering at USI

#7 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Michigan Technological University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Houghton, Michigan, this medium-sized public school awarded 3 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s engineering students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students with aid list, Michigan Tech has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Michigan Technological University is $16,463 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Michigan Tech General Engineering Report

#4

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #4 spot on the list. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s engineering degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students with aid list, Northwestern has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $24,664 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students with aid per year to attend Northwestern.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Engineering at Northwestern

#5

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Western Illinois University landed the #5 spot on the list. WIU is a public institution located in Macomb, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students with aid list, WIU has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Western Illinois University is $16,210 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students with aid.

Full WIU General Engineering Report

#6

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois

Olivet Nazarene University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Olivet Nazarene is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bourbonnais, Illinois. It awarded 79 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Olivet Nazarene, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Olivet Nazarene University is $20,195 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about General Engineering at Olivet Nazarene

#14 in overall quality

University of Akron Main Campus landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Akron Main Campus is a fairly large school located in Akron, Ohio that handed out 4 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Akron Main Campus did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Akron Main Campus is $17,792 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students with aid.

Read full report on General Engineering at University of Akron Main Campus

#8

Calvin University

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Calvin University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #8. Calvin University is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 83 bachelors’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

Calvin did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Calvin University is $26,647 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on General Engineering at Calvin University

#9

Milwaukee School of Engineering

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Milwaukee School of Engineering did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #9. This small school is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

MSOE not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Milwaukee School of Engineering is $24,440 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Milwaukee School of Engineering General Engineering Report

#9 in overall quality

Ohio University - Athens Campus ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. OHIO Athens is a public institution located in Athens, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 69 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

OHIO Athens not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $22,906 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students with aid per year to attend OHIO Athens.

Read more about General Engineering at Ohio University - Athens Campus

#11

Andrews University

Berrien Springs, Michigan

Andrews University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Andrews University is a small school located in Berrien Springs, Michigan that handed out 16 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students with aid list, Andrews has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Andrews University is $21,934 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Andrews University General Engineering Report

#10 in overall quality

Miami University - Oxford landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This fairly large school is located in Oxford, Ohio, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Miami University - Oxford not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Miami University - Oxford is $24,323 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read full report on General Engineering at Miami University - Oxford

#13

Hope College

Holland, Michigan

Hope College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #13. Hope College is located in Holland, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 57 bachelors’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

Hope also took the #3 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $26,562 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students with aid per year to attend Hope College.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Engineering at Hope

#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, Case Western Reserve University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Case Western Reserve University is located in Cleveland, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Case Western, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Case Western is $35,428 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read more about General Engineering at Case Western

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Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Rémi Kaupp.

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